How to Stop Sweat Marks

by
KAY IRELAND July 18, 2017

Kay Ireland

Kay Ireland specializes in health, fitness and lifestyle topics. She is a support worker in the neonatal intensive care and antepartum units of her local hospital and recently became a certified group fitness instructor.

Sweat marks under the arms, on the chest and on other parts of clothing are another fact of life for those who suffer from excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis. Whether it's a bad photo that was taken or the evidence left on your white shirts after laundering, sweat marks are unpleasant and embarrassing. To stop the sweat marks, you must stop the underarm sweating. The type of clothing you wear and the way you launder your clothes can help you stop sweat marks for good.

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Step 1

Choose an antiperspirant with 10 to 15 percent aluminum chloride hexahydrate to stop sweating before it has a chance to stain and mark up your shirts, suggests Medline Plus. Apply your antiperspirant at night to give your body ample time to absorb the active ingredients as a first defense against sweat marks. If typical store-bought antiperspirants don't seem to combat excessive sweating, visit your doctor for a prescription antiperspirant with higher levels of aluminum chloride hexahydrate.

Step 2

Choose clothes made of natural fibers such as cotton, linen, wool and bamboo. Natural fabrics breathe better and are less likely to develop embarrassing stains where you sweat the most. Especially tight and synthetic fibers like spandex and polyester are prone to sweat marks and may be more difficult to launder. Natural fibers help wick moisture away from the body for more comfort throughout the day.

Step 3

Wear darker clothes that don't show sweat marks as easily. White fabrics can react to the sweat, resulting in yellowish stains under the arms of your shirts, even after laundering. If you have a hyperhidrosis problem, wearing darker clothes can save you the embarrassment and monetary waste of purchasing white shirts only to have them ruined by yellow stains. Black, brown and navy launder better and hide yellowing sweat marks under the arms. If you wear light clothes, apply enough antiperspirant and change when you feel yourself start to sweat to stop the onset of sweat marks.

Step 4

Launder your sweat-stained clothing with a quarter cup of bleach added to a washing machine full of water. Bleach can help remove the color from sweat stains on white shirts. Once you've laundered with bleach and detergent, leave your shirts in the sun to dry. The sun can naturally bleach away stains so your clothes look white once again and the yellowish sweat marks are gone.